Formula 1 2021 Qatar Grand Prix Odds & Picks

• Lewis Hamilton aims to duplicate his success in Brazil when he hits the track for the inaugural edition of the Qatar Grand Prix as the betting favorite
• Max Verstappen vies for his 10th win of the season as the second betting favorite
• Read on for the Qatar Grand Prix odds and trends ahead of Sunday morning’s race at  Losail International Circuit

Lewis Hamilton will be looking to build on a spectacular weekend in Sao Paulo that concluded with an impressive victory in the Brazilian Grand Prix when he hits the track on Sunday, November 21st for the inaugural edition of the Qatar Grand Prix as a -145 betting favorite. The win is Hamilton’s sixth of the season, and second in five outings. However, with just three races remaining on the 2021 F1 schedule, Hamilton continues to lag in the F1 Drivers Standings behind frontrunner Max Verstappen, who is pegged as a strong +145 second favorite to claim his 10th checkered flag of the campaign in Sunday’s race.

Here’s a look at all the odds and trends ahead lights out at the 2021 Qatar Grand Prix at Losail International Circuit on Sunday morning at 9:00 PM EST.

2021 Qatar Grand Prix Odds

Odds as of November 18, 2021 at [DraftKings

Hamilton, Bottas Building off Brazilian Success

Lewis Hamilton demonstrated why he is a seven-time F1 champion this past weekend in Brazil. Despite being twice slapped with grid penalties that forced him to start the qualifying sprint from the back of the pack, and Sunday’s race from No. 10 on the grid, Hamilton powered to victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix. But with a 12-point gap still remaining between himself and archrival Max Verstappen in the race for the top of the F1 Drivers Standings, the 36-year-old will likely need to maintain his aggressive ways as the scene shifts to the Middle East for the final three races of 2021.

UPDATED DRIVER STANDINGS:

Three races to go
14 points in it
What a season
What a title race #BrazilGP 🇧🇷 #F1 pic.twitter.com/SexlILlbpZ

— Formula 1 (@F1) November 14, 2021

The track at Autódromo José Carlos Pace provided advantages for Hamilton and his Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas, who powered to a third-place finish in Brazil. The track features a pair of lengthy straight sections that worked to the advantage of Mercedes and enabled Hamilton to quickly overcome his poor starting position. Losail International Circuit also features a long straight that stretches in excess of one kilometer, which could provide both Hamilton and Bottas a similar advantage.

The moment when the incredible @MercedesAMGF1 fighting spirit finally paid off!🏁 @LewisHamilton wins the 2021 #BrazilGP.🏆🤜🤛

↗️ Quali P1
↘️ DQF
↗️ Sprint Race P20 to P5
↘️ Engine change grid penalty
↗️ GP P10 to P1 Victory

😮😮

WHAT. A. THRILLING. RACE. WEEKEND. 🖤💙💪👊 pic.twitter.com/c7pCRhKjXo

— Mercedes-AMG Motorsport (@amgmotorsport) November 15, 2021

Bottas is coming off yet another steady performance in Brazil, where he claimed the pole for the third time in four outings on his way to his fourth trip to the podium in seven outings. And while no drivers enjoy the benefit of past experience on this track, it is tough to overlook Bottas as a -165 bet to crack the top three.

Verstappen Facing Penalty Concerns

Despite Hamilton’s win, and Mercedes’ overall steady performance in Brazil, Max Verstappen remains in control of his own destiny heading into Qatar. In addition to his nine wins to date this season, Verstappen has consistently turned in strong finishes, reaching the podium in seven of his past eight races, and on 15 overall occasions this season.

Did Max Verstappen run Lewis Hamilton off the road? pic.twitter.com/OqxuSoEKGG

— Jack Snape (@jacksongs) November 14, 2021

However, Verstappen could be facing a penalty of his own in Qatar in the wake of an on-track incident in Brazil involving himself and Hamilton. Verstappen aggressively defended his early lead in a duel with Hamilton that resulted in both cars briefly leaving the track. While stewards quickly determined that no investigation was necessary, Mercedes has since publicly called for the talented Dutchman to be slapped with a five-place grid penalty on Sunday morning, which would likely diminish him to extend his lead atop the standings.

Qatar Grand Prix Prediction & Pick

While Mercedes and Red Bull continue to slug it out for first place in both the F1 Drivers and F1 Constructors Standings, the battle for third place continues to rage between Ferrari and McLaren. Ferrari received a big lift in Brazil, with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr. finishing fifth and sixth, respectively. The Italian automaker now sits 31.5 points up on McLaren in the F1 Contructors Standings, and are showing little sign of easing up.

Charles Leclerc and Team-mate Carlos Sainz Outclass McLaren in Brazil – https://t.co/2NSKCYQooR pic.twitter.com/aMxNEmfzyA

— HelloMonaco (@hello_monaco) November 15, 2021

Leclerc has now finished among the top five in six of his past seven outings, and Sainz has cracked the top six in four of six outings including a third-place performance in Russia. That adds considerable value to the +125 odds of Leclerc producing the best finish after the “Big 4” of Verstappen, Hamilton, Bottas, and Perez. Here are my best Qatar Grand Prix picks:

The Picks: Valtteri Bottas top three (-165); Charles Leclerc winner without Big 4 (+125)